Willie Watch – Back To One

A few years ago I was an extra at Yankee Stadium in the Adam Sandler movie Anger Management. During that long night (I was there from about 10:30 pm to 5:00 am) I learned quite a bit about being an extra – but one thing that really stuck was the phrase “Back To One.”
Back To One was used by the production crew when they had to reshoot a scene – everyone had to go back to the spot they were at for the start of the scene – back to your first position – back to one.

It seems to me that that Mets over the last year keep going Back To One – they move forward a little, gain some ground, then something happens and they fall back to where they started, back to the position they were in when they started – they go Back To One.

That is Willie Randolph’s legacy with the Mets: Back To One.

Two weeks ago the Mets returned home from out west under .500 having been swept by the Rockies, ready to take on a first place team at home.

Tonight the Mets are returning home from out west under .500, having been swept by the Padres, ready to take on a first place team at home.

Back To One

The Mets go over .500 then go under .500

Back To One

Willie is on the hot seat – Willie is safe

Back To One

It’s time to start the next scene. Time to wrap up this one and stop going

Back To One

Willie Watch – Back Below .500

Three straight one-run losses

2-4 on current road trip

Fourth place

6 1/2 games back

Why was Sandy Alomar holding Wright up at 3rd?

How can you score only one run with the bases loaded and none out?

The Red Sox guy pitches tomorrow, but the way the bats have been silent, and with Church still out…

tick…tick…tick…

Uniform Numbers Real and Rented Part 5

Since we are already in June and the intention of this series was to complete it before the last game at Shea, I’ll start looking at numbers in groups of 10. Today we have numbers 21 – 30 (once again with a tip of the cap to Mets By The Numbers):

21
Rightful Owner(s): Cleon Jones
Rent-A-Met(s): Carlos Delgado
Comment: Cleon played in 12 different seasons for the Mets and still has the highest single season batting average in team history. Delgado, well, he accepts a paycheck from the Mets.

22
Rightful Owner(s): Al Leiter
Rent-A-Met(s): Ray Knight & Kevin McReynolds
Comment: Yes, Knight won the World Series MVP in 1986 – he was more of a Red in his career than a Met though. Leiter is a bit of a stretch but he won more games with the Mets than any other team and he gets bonus points for growing up a Mets fan.

23
Rightful Owner(s): Doug Flynn
Rent-A-Met(s): Bernard Gilkey
Comment: It really is amazing that Flynn won a Gold Glove in 1980 – you don’t usually see that on 90+ losing teams.

24
Rightful Owner(s): Art Shamsky
Rent-A-Met(s): Willie Mays & Ricky Henderson
Comment: Honor Willie, most certainly, but he was never really a Met. As for Ricky, the less said the better.

25
Rightful Owner(s): Danny Heep
Rent-A-Met(s): Bobby Bonilla
Comment: I still can’t believe the Mets brought Bonilla back in 1999 – cause he made such a great impression during his first stint.

26
Rightful Owner(s): Dave Kingman
Rent-A-Met(s): Orlando Hernandez
Comment: Kong was really not a great ballplayer, but oh those monster sky shots.

27
Rightful Owner(s): Craig Swan
Rent-A-Met(s): Pete Harnisch
Comment: I’ve always felt bad for Swanny – he came up with the Mets right as they started getting bad in the 70’s and his career ended just as the Mets started getting good in the mid-80’s.

28
Rightful Owner(s): Bobby J. Jones
Rent-A-Met(s): Jeff Conine
Comment: Bobby J. immortalized himself with that one-hitter in the 2000 NLDS – arguably one of the top 2 or 3 pitching perfomances in Mets history. Does anyone remember that Conine was on the team last year?

29
Rightful Owner(s): Dave Magaden
Rent-A-Met(s): Frank Viola & Steve Trachsel
Comment: Everyone talks about how bad the Ryan trade was – the Viola trade ranks right up there too.

30
Rightful Owner(s): None
Rent-A-Met(s): Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott, & Cliff Floyd
Comment: OK, so techincally Ryan and Scott were not “rented” by the Mets, but since they achieved greater fame and are more identified with other teams, they fall into this group. It is quite a coincidence that they both wore this number and then both pitched no-no’s for the Astros.

Times on Stadium Food

The author gives both New York stadiums a free pass because it’s their last seasons. I’m not…unless they start letting me in free and handing me a beer I’m going to comment on what I pay for. Yeah yeah everything is way overpriced – on a recent trip I offered to buy Cyclones Fan a beer, but I baled when he wanted one of fancy imported beers. I’ll buy you a beer but the cap is $10. I offered to give him a $20 but I’m not paying $11 for a cup of beer.

As for the rest of the local stadium food. It all is lousy. You knew that. Maybe the Italian Sausage is halfway serviceable some time. Let me know if they ever actually cook a pretzel. Read this article by clicking above where it says Times on Stadium Food…

Buy Me Some Sushi and Baby Back Ribs
By PETER MEEHAN
Published: June 8, 2008
Hot dogs and peanuts are still staples at major league ballparks, but rising stars include crab cakes and edamame. You want Champagne with that?